Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames' population increased by about 12,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 160,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Kingston upon Thames increased by 8.7%, from about 147,000 to 160,000.

The addition of almost 13,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Kingston upon Thames was home to, on average, 31 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Kingston upon Thames

Latest census data also show that the median age of Kingston upon Thames remained 35 years in the decade to 2011.

This area had a higher average age than London and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 3,400 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by just over 200.

About 15.0% of people in Kingston upon Thames are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Kingston upon Thames by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Kingston upon Thames

The percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.4% to 5.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 1.9%, while the percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91.7%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 5.8% in 2001 to 5.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Kingston upon Thames

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Kingston upon Thames was among those who said they had no religion, rising 7.7 points.

In 2011, 25.7% of respondents in Kingston upon Thames gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 18.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 15.8% to 20.7%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Kingston upon Thames, 52.9% said they were Christian, compared with 64.6% in 2001. About 0.8% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.6% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.4% to 7.9%.

In Kingston upon Thames, 7.9% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. In London, 8.5% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Kingston upon Thames increased by 7.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, London and Kingston upon Thames by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Kingston upon Thames

In 2011, 16.3% of Kingston upon Thames residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 9.2% in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 13.2% to 18.5%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 74.5% of people in Kingston upon Thames said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 84.5% in 2001. About 3.9% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 2.3% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) increased from 2.5% to 2.8%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Kingston upon Thames increased by 7.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Kingston upon Thames by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Kingston upon Thames, but at a slower rate than in Reading (one of the most statistically similar areas to Kingston upon Thames based on ONS area classifications).

In Kingston upon Thames, the proportion of private renting increased from 15.7% in 2001 to 22.5% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Reading increased from 15.2% to 26.1%.

Across London, the share of privately rented homes increased from 15.3% to 25.1%.

The rate of social housing in Kingston upon Thames increased from 11.1% to 11.8%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 71.0% to 64.1%.

Private renting in Kingston upon Thames increased by 6.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Kingston upon Thames, London and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer homes without children

The percentage of households without children fell here at a faster rate than in statistically similar Reading.

In Kingston upon Thames, the proportion of households without children decreased from 63.5% in 2001 to 59.9% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Reading decreased from 63.7% to 62.1%.

Across London, the share of households without children decreased from 62.4% to 59.8%.

The proportion of households with children in Kingston upon Thames increased from 28.4% to 30.9%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.1% to 9.2%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across London

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people living alone

The percentage of one-person households fell in Kingston upon Thames at a faster rate than in Epsom and Ewell (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Kingston upon Thames).

In Kingston upon Thames, the proportion of one-person households decreased from 32.1% in 2001 to 28.6% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Epsom and Ewell decreased from 26.9% to 26.0%.

Across London, the share of one-person households decreased from 34.7% to 31.6%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Kingston upon Thames increased from 9.0% to 9.5%, while the percentage of households with a married couple increased from 34.5% to 35.7%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across London

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.3% to 3.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (86.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73.9% in 2001. The percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19.8% to 10.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Kingston upon Thames decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Kingston upon Thames, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

The percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents that were studying increased from 4.1% to 5.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in two (52.7%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55.4% in 2001. The percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents that were unemployed increased from 2.5% to 3.2%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 3.0% in 2001 to 4.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Kingston upon Thames increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Kingston upon Thames, London and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Kingston upon Thames working less than 16 hours increased from 2.3% to 3.5% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.1%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Kingston upon Thames increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Kingston upon Thames, London and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Kingston upon Thames residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.2% to 1.5% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.7%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 1.7% in 2001 to 1.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Kingston upon Thames remained close to 1.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Kingston upon Thames by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Relationships in Kingston upon Thames

The percentage of married people changed very little in Kingston upon Thames, while the proportion fell across England.

In Kingston upon Thames, the proportion of married people stayed close to 46.2% between the last two censuses. During the same period, the proportion across England decreased from 50.6% to 46.6%.

Across London, the share of married people decreased from 41.7% to 40.3%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Kingston upon Thames increased from 37.7% to 39.4%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.0% to 9.1%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

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Area report data

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